No one likes warming up, but I bet no one likes getting injured either? Play it safe... Warm up pre-exercise!

What is a warm up?It is a period in which you prepare the body gradually for the physical demands it is about to undergo.

Why should you warm up before exercise?Because it prepares the body for the demands that training places on the muscles and joints. A warm up can also reduce the possibility of injury, since warmed up muscles are less likely to be injured than cold, stiff muscles. Warming up can also reduce the delayed onset of muscle soreness.

We get two types of warm up routines:

General warm up

It consists of low to moderate intensity full body rhythmic activities for 5-10 minutes. It includes: walking, jogging, cycling, etc.

Specific warm up

This usually follows the general warm up routine and consists of dynamic stretches or mobility drills for 8-12 minutes. It involves moving the body part in the desired way until reaching the full range of motion, to improve performance. It includes exercises such as arm swings, deep squats, hip rotations or even light weight resistance exercises that mimic the training about to take place.